Venetian blind rail tape clamp



Oct. 9, 1951 B. B. JUNKUNC VENETIAN BLIND RAIL TAPE CLAMP 2 sheets-sheet1 Filed April 1, 1948 dew INVENTOR.

BY Zdda" &; @pw-r/ 1951 B. B. JUNKUNC 2,570,455

VENETIAN BLIND RAIL TAPE CLAMP Filed April 1, 1948 z'sheets-sheeflz INVEN TOR.

59 @64 1; fila/z zwda" 5 47 55547 Patented Oct. 9, 1951 2,570,455V-ENET-IAN [BLIND RAIL TAPE CLAMP Bela B. Junkunc, Chicago, 'Ill.,assignor to 'Bela B. J unkunc, Alexander Junkunc, 'Sr., AlexanderJunkunc, .112, and Joseph G. 'Junlmnc, a partnership, doing business asJ & J llool & Ma- ,chine'Co Chicago, Ill.

7 Application April 1, 1948, Serial No. 18,457

This invention relates to a Venetian blind rail,

and particularly to means for securing theslatsupporting tapes and thelift and/r tilt cord thereto.

.In my prior Patent 'No. 2,391,904 I have .dis-,

closed a Venetian .blindrail having .a transverse slot on one side, inthe case of the bottom rail on the underside, and a flexible closuremember seating in the slot and holding the ends of the .tapes.

While this structure eliminates many of the disadvantages of .prior artconstruction it has the disadvantage, particularly in the .case ofcomparatively wide blinds of the compound blind type, of weakening thetransvers strength-of the rail.

In the present structure, the means for securing-the ends of the tape tothe rail does not require weakening the strength of the rail in anymanner. The tape fastening means also provides means for readilyattaching or detaching the end of the cord. The tape fastening meansmaybe readily secured to either the top or bottom rail in any desiredlateral position and may be removed therefrom without the use of tools.

.The rail of thepresent invention is simple in design and construction,relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and, in addition to theadvantages pointed out above, has other advantages which will becomeapparent upon reading the following specification, takenin conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a lower corner portion ofa, Venetian blindshowing a preferred embodiment of the tape and cordfastening means attached to the rail;

Fig.2 isa view similar to Fig. 1, with the clamping member detached anda portion of the tapebroken away to facilitate illustration of theparts;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the upper member of the tape fasteningmeans;

Fig. 4 .is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment .of thetape fastening means;

Fig. is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the upper member of the tapefastening means shown in 5 Claims. (Cl.'160178) of rail 2 are shownopen, but it will be understood that they are ordinarily closed by someconventional end closures. Although the invention is 11- lustrated inconnection with va bottom rail, it will be understood that it can beused equally as well with a top rail.

The tape fastening means comprises an upper member 3 having-a top wallland depending side walls 5 and 6. Top wall 4 is of the same Width asthe top wall 1 of rail 2, and thecurvature at the angles between topwall 4 and side walls 5 and 6 coincides with the curvature between thetop and side walls of .rail -2 so that member 3 fits snugly on rail 2.

' Member 3 is called an upper member for convenience, but it will beobvious that it will be a lower member whenever the tape fastening meansis applied to the top rail of a Venetian blind. Th intermediate portions-8 and 9 of side walls 5 and .6 are cutaway to leave legs [0, H and l2,l3, respectively, extending therebelow. The length of intermediateportions '8 and '9 is slightly greater than the width of the tapes usedin the blind. .Each leg has a lip l4 curled outwardly and upwardly for apurpose hereinafter described.

Intermediate portions 8 and 9 of side walls 5 and 6 are preferablyprovided with a plurality of serrations or teeth IS. The ends of tapesl6 are turned under side walls 5 and Gand are impaled on teeth 15. Theends of tapes l6 lie flat between the inner surface of member v3 and theouter surface of rail .z when member 3 is positioned on rail 2.Intermediate portions 8 and 9 may be smooth and tapes 1-6 would be heldwith a certain amount .of security when the clamping member, hereinafterdescribed, is secured in .may be secured thereto in any other suitablemanner. The free end I 8 of hook I] is spaced from top wall 4 to passthrough an eye I9 permanently secured to the endof cord. 20. The tip ofhook I1 is bent downwardly slightly, as indicated at 2|, to prevent eyel9 from slipping off hook ll. Eye l9 may be moved off hook I! readily,but will not slip off accidentally due to the downturned tip 2|. Slats22 are provided with slots 23 registering with cord 20 in conventionalmanner.

The lower "or clamping member 24 comprises a bottom wall 2 5, conformingto bottom-wall 26 of rail 2, and upstanding side walls 21 and 28. Sidewalls 21 and 28 have flanges 29 and 30, respectively, which extendinwardly and are adapted to cooperate with lips I4 to clamp upper member3 and thereby clamp the tape fastening means with the attached tape onrail 2. After upper member 3 is positioned on top of rail 2, clampingmember 24 is preferably slid over the bottom portion of rail 2 untilflanges 29 and 36 are interengaged with lips 14. The parts may be madeof steel sufiiciently resilient so that clamping member 24 can besnapped into place with flanges 29 and 30 engaging lips l4. Clampingmember 24 fits snugly around the bottom of rail 2 and prevents sidewalls 5 and 6 from spreading outwardly from rail 2, thereby securelyclamping the ends of tapes I6 in place when flanges 2 9 and engage lipsl4.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7,inclusive, upper clamping member 3| fits on rail 2 with side walls 32and 33 extend ing to the edges adjacent bottom wall 26 of the rail whentop wall 34 of member 3! is positioned against top wall 4 of rail 2.Side Walls 32 and 33 have apertures 35 and 36, respectively, outtherefrom intermediate their ends. The length of these apertures isslightly greater than the width of tape 16 so that the ends of the tapecan be inserted therein. The upper edges of apertures 35 and 36 areprovided with serrations or teeth 31, similar to teeth l5, for engagingtapes [6 adjacent their ends.

Lower or clamping member 38 is of the same shape as bottom Wall 26 ofrail 2 and fits snugly against it. Flanges 39 and 40, on thelongitudinal edges of clamping member 38, are turned upwardly andinwardly. They are adapted to engage lips 4| and 42 on the bottom edgesof side walls 32 and 33 to clamp the tape fastening means against rail2. Clamping member 38 is preferably slid in place with flanges 39 and4|] engaging lips 4| and 42, although, as in the case of the previouslydescribed embodiment, it may be snapped into place if made of steelsufficiently resilient:

In the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9, the tape fastening means comprises asingle member 43 having a top wall 44 and side Walls 45 and 46 fittingaround the top and sides of rail 2. Side walls 45 and 46 have recessedintermediate portions 41 and 48 having a length slightly greater thanthe width of tapes I 6. tions 4'! and 48 are provided with teeth 49adapted to pierce the ends of tapes 16. Legs 50 and 5| depending fromside wall 45, and legs 52 and 53 depending from side wall 46, extend theentire depth of rail 2 curled to form hinge sleeves 54 and 55. Legs 52and 53 are also curled at their ends to form lips 56 and 51 open attheir top.

A wire 58 has one portion passing through hinge sleeves 54 and 55. Thewire is then bent at right angles and its ends are bent inwardly, asindicated at 59 and 60. After the member 43 is positioned on rail 2,wire 58 is swung around its pivot and ends 59 and 60 are sprung intoengagement with lips 56 and 51, respectively.

Although I have described three preferred embodiments of my invention inconsiderable detail, it will be understood that the description isintended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many detailsmay be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be re- Intermediate por-The ends of legs 59 and 5| are stricted to the exact structuredescribed, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Tape fastening means for a Venetian blind rail comprising an uppermember having depending side walls, a plurality of teeth integral withsaid side walls and a plurality of curled lips projecting in a planebelow said teeth, and. a lower member having cooperating membersengaging said lips to clamp said upper member in position.

2. Tape fastening means for a Venetian blind rail comprising an uppermember having side walls fitted around a portion of said rail, said sidewalls being recessed intermediate their ends and having tape engagingteeth projecting from said intermediate portions, a pair of. legsdepending below each of said recessed portions, a lip projecting fromeach of said legs, and a lower member having flanges on its longitudinaledges engageable with said lips to clamp said first mentioned memberagainst said rail.

3. Tape fastening means for a Venetian blind rail comprising an uppermember having side walls fitting around a portion of said rail, saidside walls being recessed intermediate their ends and having tapeengaging teeth projecting from said intermediate portions, a pair oflegs depending below each of said recessed portions, the legs dependingfrom one of said side Walls being curled at their ends to form hingesleeves, the legs on said other side wall having lips projectingtherefrom,'and a wire threaded through said hinge sleeves. and bent sothat its free ends are engageable with said lips to hold said tapefastening means on said rail.

4. In combination with a Venetian blind rail, a tape and cord fasteningmember comprising an upper member snugly fitting around the top andsides of said rail, a hook projecting from the top of said upper member,a plurality of tape engaging teeth on each side of said upper member, aplurality of lips extending from the lower edges of said upper member,and a clamping member snu ly fitting against the bottom of said rail,and a pair of engaging members on said clamping member engaging saidlips to hold said tape ends between said upper member and said rail.

5. In combination with a Venetian blind rail,

a tape fastening member comprising an upper member fitting around thetop and sides of said rail, the sides of said member having a pluralityof teeth engaging theends of the tape, a plurality of lips extendingfrom the lower edges of said upper member, and a clamping member fittingaround the bottom of said rail, and. a pair of engaging members on saidclamping member engaging said lips to hold said tape ends between saidupper member and said rail.

BELA B. JUNKUNC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,408,212 Leinbach Feb. 28, 19222,079,852 Grassby May 11, 1937 2,391,904 Junkunc Jan. 1, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 14,109 Great Britain 1898

